Improvement in straw-cutters



T. WEBB.

Straw-Gutters.

NO" 141,527, Patented Augu 25,1873.

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AM PHOTO-LITHOG/MPH/L' on MY (mama's PRUL'ESSI THOMAS WEBB, OF ELYBIA,OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN STRAW-CUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,527, dated August5, 1873 application filed November 9, 187-2.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS WEBB, of Elyria, in the county of Lorain andState of Ohio, have inventeda new and useful Improvement inStraw-Cutter, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l is a top view, partly in section, of my improved strawcutter.Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same. Fig. 3 is adetail front view of the cutter-wheel; and Fig. 4 a detail face view ofone of the cutters.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention is an improvement in the class of straw-cutters havingfeed-rolls, one of which is adjustable vertically, and yet so gearedwith the stationary roller as to continue its revolution, whether theyare separated by a small or large quantity or thickness of the materialto be cut.

The subjects of the claim indicate the improvement to which my inventionmore especially pertains.

The cutters are affixed to a fly-wheel, and can, by set-screws, beadjusted toward the front end of the straw-support.

In the accompanying drawing, the letter A represents thesupporting-frame of my improved straw-cutter. B is the feed-box ortrough supported thereon. This box is or may be made in sections, sothat the back portion a may be detached or affixed at will. 0 is alongitudinal horizontal shaft hung in bearings at the side of the box B,and carrying at its front end a fly-wheel, D. To the spokes a a of thiswheel are secured the cutters b b, by screws or other means, and byset-screws d (1 they can be set more or less oblique, so that theircutting-edges will be the requisite distance from the front edge e ofthe box B. Thus as the cutters wear they are set more and more towardthe edge e to retain their efliciency. By gear-wheels ff the shaft 0connects with a horizontal transverse shaft, E, which hangs under thebox B. B0-

tary motion may be imparted to the shaft 0 or E by hand or other means.F F are corin a jointed frame, h. The upper rollerF is verticallyadjustable, and the jointed frame It keeps pace with its motions, but soas to keep the wheels 9 always in gear. By means of straps i 11 theupper roller F is connected with a weighted lever, G, hanging under thebox B and drawing said upper roller down upon the straw to be fed withequal effect, whether there is more straw or less between the rollers. Acog-wheel, j, hung to a lever, H, is used to communicate motion from theshaft E to the train of wheels g. This wheel j meshes into the teeth ofa wheel, Z, mounted upon the shaft E, and into those of one wheel g.

When the feed-motion is to be promptly arrested, it will only benecessary to swing down the lever H, and thereby take the wheel j out ofgear.

The wheel I may be made in steps or seetions of various diameters, andmovable on the shaft E, to allow the varying of the feedmotion during agiven speed of the cutter. The upper roller is provided with a cover, K,which extends over on both sides of the same, and has arms attached toits ends which project into the vertical slots in the trough of themachine, and have hooked ends for. adapting them to connect with thestraps The front end of the cover K has a convex spring plate attachedon its under or inner side, so as to form a smooth and yielding surfacefor bearing on the material in passing from the rolls to the knife.

Havin g thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The cover K, having arms working in verticalguide-slots of the trough, and engaging with the straps i i, so that itmay move with the roller F, and provided at its front end with a convexyielding or spring-bearing plate, as described, for the purposespecified.

2. The combination, with the feed-rollers and their train of gear-wheelsg, and with the driving-shaft E and its gear-wheel l, of the wheel j andthe lever H, all as shown and described, for the purpose specified.

THOMAS WEBB.

WVitnesses L. B. SMITH, B. O. KIBBY.

